North Carolina On Track

What's New

In April 2009, the state House took the first step towards giving local communities the ability to fund public transportation in North Carolina. They passed “the Intermodal Congestion Relief bill,” sponsored by Reps. Carney, Allen, Ross and McGee. The bill allows counties to vote to raise revenue by a half-cent sales tax to invest in public transportation. The bill puts counties in the driver’s seat, allowing them raise revenue for local transportation projects. The latest data on the price of congestion in the Triangle reinforces to need for North Carolina to act quickly to update our transportation systems. The Senate Finance Committee is now considering the Intermodal Congestion Relief bill.

How You Can Help

More And Better Public Transportation

Tell Congress to double the portion of funding for public transportation in the upcoming federal transportation bill. Click here.

Overview

North Carolina’s population is growing at the sixth fastest rate in the country. By 2030, North Carolina’s population is expected to exceed 12 million people. Unfortunately, the only thing growing faster than our population is the number of cars on our roads.

Growth could be a huge boon for the state, but we must take steps to ensure that our growth doesn’t undermine our quality of life. In every major metropolitan area in North Carolina, congestion is a serious problem. On top of the inconvenience, it forces consumers to spend more money on gas and less time with their family and friends. But building more roads, alone, is not the answer. Study after study shows that more highways just bring more traffic. And with traffic comes air pollution; currently, half the state’s residents live in areas that don’t meet basic federal health standards for smog pollution.

We need to make smart, long-term decisions so that our transportation infrastructure can support the kind of the growth that will be a blessing for the state, not a burden. Public transportation will provide new and current residents with choices—like whether to drive to work or not. But with no transit alternatives, growth will mean longer waits in traffic and more bad air days.

Our state leads the South in our dedication to education, technology and creativity. Now it’s time to put that innovation to use by developing top-notch rail systems for our metropolitan areas.

Commuter rail is the kind of forward-looking solution that North Carolina needs to remain a great place to live.

Congressmen David Price and Brad Miller stood with NCPIRG at our release of A Better Way To Go, a report that examines the challenges faced by America’s transportation system and the benefits of existing rail and bus projects in the Triangle and other areas of the state.

News

Staff Reports, "Gas Costs Exceed Stimulus Check." The News & Observer (June 25, 2008)

Bob Geary, "NCPIRG: Pay for transit." The Independent Weekly (June 25, 2008)

Shana Becker, "Transportation Policy Needs to Catch Up to 21st Century." Progressive Voices (June 23, 2008)

Shana Becker, "Federal, State, and Local Leaders Cite New Report as Boosting Public Transit in the Triangle." (March 26, 2008)

Report

"Squandering the Stimulus: An Analysis of Household Gas Spending, Economic Stimulus Checks, and the Need for Better Transportation Options," NCPIRG (June 25, 2008)

"A Better Way to Go: Meeting America’s 21st Century Transportation Challenges with Modern Public Transit," NCPIRG (Spring 2008)

Resources and Opportunities

Triangle Public Transportation Petition. The Capital Area Friends of Transit – an alliance of Triangle community organizations, civic leaders, and other citizens – is calling for a first rate public transportation system in the Triangle. To learn more about the call for solutions, see who else has signed, and to join the action, click here.

Community Event: Reality Check. Do you worry about the Triangle’s Transportation future? If so, log on to Reality Check. By 2030, the Triangle region is expected to grow to 3.2 million people, up from 2.03 million, today. Reality Check is convening a half-day visioning exercise from around the region to tackle how best to accommodate our expected population increase, on February 24, 2009, and will present the results three days later. Apply to participate by October 15 at www.realitycheck2009.org.

ISSUES